Clothes-pin.



PATENTED DEC. 20, 1904.

No. 777,751 I E. W. SAYLE.

CLOTHES PIN. APPVLIOATION FILED FEB. 16, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented December 20, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CLOTH ES-PIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 777,751, dated December 20, 1904. Application filed February 16, 1904. Serial No, 193,854.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN IV. SAYLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Calhoun, in the county of W'aukesha and State of l/Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Pins, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a peculiar construction of clothes pin or clamp adapted especially to be used in connection with the clothes-line to secure clothes thereto.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings.

I/Vhile the essential and characteristic features of the invention are susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view showing the embodiment of the invention in practical use. Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation of the clothes-pin. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the clothespm.

Referring to the drawings, the clothes-line, as will be clearly seen, is made up of a series of connected links 1, each of said links having the end portions thereof bent to form loops 2,

the extremities of the looped portions of the link being formed with eyes 3, which receive the body of the link, so as to establish a permanent connection between the several parts of the line. The loop portions 2 of the links 1 of the line are formed so as to permit the said loop portions to occupy an approximately vertical position, and these loop portions 2 constitute the portions of the line proper which are designed to be engaged by the clothes pins or clamps suspended from the line.

The clothes pin or clamp comprises a shank 4, having the upper end thereof rearwardly and downwardly bent to form an attachingloop 5. The lower end of the shank 4 of the pin or clamp is upwardly bent to form a suspending clamp-hook 6, the upper extremity being spaced from the shank. The clamps or pins and the links of the line are preferably made from wire of a suitable gage to afford the necessary strength and substantiality of a support of this character. The extremities of the wire from which the pins or clamps are made are curved or bent to form eyes 7, as shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, which eyes 7 facilitate both the engagement of the attaching-loop 5 with the line-loops and also the attachment of the clothes to the suspend ing-hook 6. the eyes 7 serves to form a flared entrance portion for each of the loops 5 and the hooks 6 of the pins or clamps. Further, the construction of the eyes 7 of the pin advantageously utilizes the end portions of the wire in such a manner that no projecting parts are formed which would be likely to tear the clothes as the same are attached to the said pins or clamps. The loops 2 of the line serve as stop means to prevent several clamps or pins from sliding toward each other after the clothes have been hung upon the line. Under certain conditions it is desirable to have the clothesline hung upon an incline, and for this reason the provision of the stop means in the form of the loops 2 is of no small importance in the practical use of the invention. The loops 2 further constitute, of course, the means for connecting the several links of the line together, having to a certain extent a dual function.

The portion of the hook 6 which is bent to form the adjacent eye 7 constitutes a fingerpiece by which the pins or clamps may be conveniently manipulated or handled both in engaging the hook with the clothes and the attaching-loop 5 with the line.

The loop 5, which is open, has its extremity in spring engagement with the shank, so as to prevent all likelihood of displacement of the hook from the line in windy weather. The spring-contact of the loop end with the shank is sufiicient to efiect the purpose above set forth. The upper end of the hook 6, however, is spaced from the shank, its lower end being in contact therewith, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3.

In using the line it is intended that the sevclot'hes shall be attached 1 of the pins or clamps eral pieces of washed together by means In other words, the provision ofpreparatory to being hung upon the line. It will be readily seen that this may be done within the house, so that the one washing is protected from exposure in this operation. After the pieces of the wash have been attached to each other a suitable carrier may be provided for holding the same and conveyance to the line. After the line is reached all that is necessary upon the part of the one hanging the clothes is to quickly engage the attaching-loops 5 of each of the pins or clamps with the supporting-loops 2 of the links 1 of the line. The loops 2 in the line-links 1 will prevent the pieces of the wash from sagging together in a manner which will be appreciated.

The construction of the line and the clamps or pins is very simple and readily admits of hanging of the clothes with expedition, which is a desirable feature in this class of inventions.

All parts of the pin or clamp are disposed in the same relative plane, and space is thus economized in packing the pins for shipment, aside from the advantages derived from the general simplicity of the article attained by this structure and arrangement of the bent portions thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is As an article of manufacture, a clothes-pin made of a single length of spring-wire comprising the shank 4 having its upper end bent rearwardly and downwardly to form the open attaching-loop 5, having its extremity in spring engagement with said shank, the lower end of said shank being upwardly bent to form the suspending-hook 6, the upper end of said suspending-hook being spaced from and the lower end in contact with the shank, the bent portions of the wire being in the same relative plane with the shank, the extremities of the wire being bent to form eyes 7 for the loop and hook, respectively.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOS. ONEILL, PETER VERBRIOK. 

